Founded in 2011, the UR Rock Climbing Club promotes the sport of rock climbing and establishes a community of people ...]]>

Photo Courtesy of Adam Fenster

Founded in 2011, the UR Rock Climbing Club promotes the sport of rock climbing and establishes a community of people who engage in and appreciate the sport.

While reasons for joining the club might vary among the members, they do admit sharing a similar love and enthusiasm for this unconventional sport.

“I got really into rock climbing before coming to college, and was looking for a way to get connected to the student body through my greatest passion,” sophomore and current Rock Climbing Club President Miriam Grigsby said.

However Sophomore Keith Wiley, had different reasons for joining–“ I joined the Rock Climbing Club because I have a good friend in the club who got me into rock climbing last year,” Wiley said. “Climbing is also a very social activity, so a club setting allows me to get to know people at school who I can climb with.”

The club welcomes everyone who has an interest for the sport, even if they don’t have previous background in rock climbing.

According to freshman and current business manager of the club Talia Jaffe, who has been climbing for the past eight years, “It was really important for me to find a school that had a climbing club or was involved in climbing in some capacity.” She added that “the University of Rochester is registered through U.S Climbing, so it technically has a collegiate climbing team.”

There are many in the club who tried the sport for the first time through the club and fell in love with it.

Freshman Cory Kim said that he initially joined the Rock Climbing Club because of two reasons. “I had injured myself and was not able to continue playing water polo, so I was looking for another hobby to pick up, and because my friend [Freshman Thomas Pinella] sounded very enthusiastic about climbing, so much that I had to try it.”

The club does not have normal weekly meetings, but instead just an initial meeting to get members signed up to Red Barn at RIT. After that, members are free to go climbing whenever they want. Even though the club works more in an individual fashion, the members are still very connected.

“The club is really cool because it is a small group of people who are really interested in the same thing. the sport,” he said.

The club has also been trying to get a rock climbing wall at UR, as it is really hard for someone who doesn’t have a car to go over to RIT. “The only way I can go climbing is if someone else happens to go at a time that works with my schedule,” Jaffe said.

Jaffe has been working at getting a wall at the University for quite a while now.

“I actually started working on getting a climbing wall built before the Impact site even was a thing.” With the SA finally passing the resolution for a rock climbing wall this Monday, there seems to be hope for a wall in the near future.

“I hope that the University sponsor[s] our club for outdoor activities so that we can have club gear for outdoor trips so that individual members don’t always have to buy it, and it’s not lost when those members graduate,” Wiley said.

The club also has plans to have club-sponsored outdoor trips.

“It’s a long, arduous process, but hopefully it will happen by the end of this next year,” Grigsby said. Jaffe added, “My goal for the future is that there will be regular practices, and a wall would enable us to build a climbing team that can compete instead of being a group of people that go recreationally.”

For this passionate group of individuals, rock climbing is a lot more than a sport.

“The best thing about rock climbing is the opportunity to move in ways that aren’t possible in other activities,” Wiley said.

For Pinella, rock climbing is the process of trying to figure out how to solve a problem, or “the feeling of finally finishing a problem after spending weeks working on it.” His favorite thing about rock climbing is introducing new climbers to climbing “because everyone ends up loving it.”

To Jaffe, “Climbing is a really unique sport because it’s competitive only with yourself. Even in competitions, the only other person you are really trying to beat is your previous best.”

She added, “the least outdoorsy person can be transformed into the wildlife enthusiast simply by growing [an] interest in climbing. It takes you to extraordinary places and introduces you to unforgettable people. Climbing isn’t a sport or a hobby; it’s a way of life.”

When Tiernan Project was founded in 1974, it began as a student group composed entirely of residents living in Tiernan Hall. ...]]>

Courtesy of Stephanie Denzler

When Tiernan Project was founded in 1974, it began as a student group composed entirely of residents living in Tiernan Hall. According to Tiernan Project alumnus and director of the Rochester Center for Community Leadership Glenn Cerosaletti, everybody who lived in Tiernan Hall at that time joined the Tiernan Project and was dedicated to community service.

Over the years, Tiernan Project kept its identity as a special interest

Community and continued to be active in various kinds of community services around Rochester. Though Tiernan Project is no longer in Tiernan Hall – it is now in Burton, an old house on the Residental Quad – many students still have a misunderstanding about the group.

Membership Chair of Tiernan Project and junior Christina Amaral told a story about when she and her community members raised awareness about Tiernan Project to students on campus early one semester. An apologetic student approached Amaral, lamenting over the fact that she could not join the group because she did not live in Tiernan Hall. Yet this student was merely misinformed.

“Everyone is welcomed to participate in our events. We encourage more people to be involved,” President of Tiernan Project and junior Sarah Pristash said.

From the day it was founded, community building through community service has always been the core mission of Tiernan Project.

But this year, members are trying to redefine their goals. “Instead of just having one theme of community service like many other groups on campus do, we want to find various things people would like to do and organize a lot of different events,” Community Service Chair and junior Shagun Kaul said. “We really encourage our members to give input on what they would like to do for community service.”

Tiernan Project has created several signature events for itself over the years, including refugee tutoring in Carlson Library on Saturday and Mt. Hope Cemetery cleanups.

“We used to do dog walking, too,” Shagun said. “But, sometimes dogs were evil and tended to bite people, which might not be for everyone.”

In addition to its regular events, Tiernan Project also holds a Halloween party for children from the Rochester area, which is its biggest event every fall semester. Members of the group invite children from different elementary schools to come to campus and lead them through various dorms to trick or treat.

This fall, they cooperated with Learning and Exploring at Play, LEAP, – an organization that tutors kids from Rochester city schools – to bring kids to campus on Halloween. After being showered with candy by college students, the kids were brought to a room where arts and crafts were set up, and where the Halloween party was to be held.

“Swing dance [group] came to teach them dance, and we provided food after. It was really fun,” Amaral said.

In the past, Tiernan Project members have also invited children from Mary’s Place, Catholic Family Center, and Sojourner House for the Halloween extravaganza.

The Halloween party is also a way to spread awareness about the group and promote membership. When asked about how to apply to live on their floor after the event, Amaral said that every student could apply, but they do encourage people to participate in their events before applying.

“This way, people could get to know more about our events and members and see if they really like Tiernan Project,” Amaral said. “Our housing lottery system is separate from the campus housing lottery. The points that we would consider when choosing applicants could be earned from every event [in which] people participated.”

Furthermore, Kaul discussed how to be a member – it isn’t necessary to be a part of Tiernan Project. However, Kaul believes that “it would be more convenient and efficient for members to get their ideas heard if they live together.” Tiernan Project, with its all-encompassing community service, is designed to be more than just a residential community.

Tiernan Project’s next event – playing bingo with the elderly at St. Jones Nursing Home – will take place on Saturday, Nov 22. Anyone interested in participating or learning more about the group should contact Tiernan Project will be playing Students interested in getting involved with Tiernan Project should contact tiernan.project@gmail.com.

Liu is a member of the class of 2015.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2014/11/19/tiernan-project-living-and-serving-together/feed/0Mens Rowing Team: Life on the waterhttp://www.campustimes.org/2014/10/22/mens-rowing-team-life-on-the-water/
http://www.campustimes.org/2014/10/22/mens-rowing-team-life-on-the-water/#commentsThu, 23 Oct 2014 03:54:06 +0000Campus Timeshttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=112162While most college students are asleep in their beds at five in the morning, the crew team is getting up and heading to practice.

This isn’t ...]]>

While most college students are asleep in their beds at five in the morning, the crew team is getting up and heading to practice.

This isn’t just a once-in-a-while thing either. The team has morning practices from six until eight, Monday through Saturday, nine months out of the year. Even so, this didn’t deter the 22 current members from joining the team.

UR Men’s Rowing got its start at the University in the early 80’s and has grown enormously over the past few decades thanks to both student enthusiasm and community support. While the men’s team isn’t a varsity sport (only women’s rowing teams are recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association), the members work as hard as if it were.

The team is coached by John Bernfield, a man who is considered “somewhat of a legend in the rowing world,” according to junior and team member Jon Curtis.

Bernfield begins practice with a warm up to increase cardio and then some dynamic stretching. After that team members get in their boat groups of two, four, or eight, and begin their row, long or short depending on the schedule for the day. Practice is concluded with a little strength training, ending with boat meetings and a “Meliora!”

“It’s a great way to start your day,” sophomore Alex Crawford said. “And you get to do it before anyone else is even up.”

All of this hard work leads up to their races, which take place in both the spring and the fall, the spring being the main season. So far this year, the men have had three regattas. The team came in second in their first race of the season at the Challenge on the Canal in Geneva, NY on Sept. 27. At their second race, The Head of the Genesee, hosted by UR on Oct. 4, the men came in seventh out of 23 teams. At both regattas the team fell short of beating RIT, their biggest rival.

“We share the Genesee with RIT,” Freedman said, “and sometimes come across them during practice.”

The captain of RIT’s team even challenged Freedman to a Captains Challenge, to be held on the Genesee on Nov. 1. This two-school race will be different from a usual regatta where many teams compete.

Although their placing in their first two races wasn’t quite as high as they would have liked, junior Keith McCutchan noted that they are catching up to their competitors. “Hopefully by the end of the season we’ll be beating more of them,” he said.

This past Sunday, the team competed in their third race of the season: the 50th annual Head of the Charles (HOCR) in Boston, MA. Some of the best teams in the international rowing community come to compete in this regatta.

In order to be selected to compete at the HOCR, teams enter a lottery. This year was the first in four that UR had been drawn.

“It was very exciting,” Freedman said. “There were more spectators than we had ever seen and we got to be on the water with some of the best rowers from around the world.”

The team entered a boat in the Men’s Collegiate Eights with Freedman, McCutchan, Crawford, sophomores Mat Johnson, Ethan Dimmock, and Gavin Piester, juniors David Mullin and senior Brett Chenoweth as coxswain.

Out of the 44 college teams that competed in the Men’s Collegiate Eights, UR came in 34th.

“It was a little disappointing because we wanted to secure a place for next year,” Freedman said, which can be done by placing in the top half of the race.

Despite falling a little short of their goal, the members who attended were happy to have had the experience. Some were even able to meet Hamish Bond, an Olympic Gold Medalist from New Zealand, considered one of the top rowers internationally.

“The race showed us that the best rowers in the world row the same boats, train the same, and row on the same water as us,” Freedman said.

“Even if I’m not rowing, I hope to be at the 75th and 100th anniversary of the race,” Curtis said, who came along to support his teammates who were competing.

Freedman believes that competing at the HOCR is just the beginning of what is sure to be a season of improvement. He also said that the team’s novice class of first-time rowers is very strong and that camaraderie is great.

The team still has two more races left in the fall season: The Head of the Fish next weekend in Saratoga Springs, NY and the Captains Challenge against RIT the weekend after.

“Come the spring, we look forward to even more accomplishments,” Freedman said. “Maybe even a place at nationals.”

Listro is a member of the class of 2017.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2014/10/22/mens-rowing-team-life-on-the-water/feed/0Habitat for Humanity gives families new homes and hopeshttp://www.campustimes.org/2014/09/25/habitat-for-humanity-gives-families-new-homes-and-hopes/
http://www.campustimes.org/2014/09/25/habitat-for-humanity-gives-families-new-homes-and-hopes/#commentsThu, 25 Sep 2014 04:04:42 +0000Campus Timeshttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=109222Most students use their time during Spring Break to catch up on sleep, spend time with friends and family, or simply go to the beach ...]]>Most students use their time during Spring Break to catch up on sleep, spend time with friends and family, or simply go to the beach to relax and work on their tan.

But a group of students on campus opt instead to travel to a different state and work on building houses for those in need. They spend the week constantly working, making new friends and enjoying the little bit of spring sun.

These students are part of the University’s chapter of the international nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. According to UR chapter president and junior Taryn Amatruda, “[Habitat for Humanity] works toward building decent, affordable housing for the people that need it.” For each house that they build, Habitat volunteers are joined by the future recipients of their work who put in up to 400 hours of sweat equity to make their new homes a reality.

“We’re just an affiliate,” Amatruda explained. “We work with Flower City Habitat for Humanity, which is the Rochester [branch]. We go on builds [and] do a lot with them.” The two groups work together often and have put on a variety of events including a homeowner’s picnic last week.

On campus, Habitat holds many fundraising events throughout the year. “We try and work towards cosponsoring a house, which is $10,000,” Amatruda said. The money they raise goes towards buying components like supplies, toilets, doors, and the like. These are the types of items that can’t get donated, and by purchasing them new, groups like the one at UR can become a cosponsor.

Some of the money raised also goes towards Habitat’s spring break trip – “a week of just building a few houses with other schools that go down,” Amatruda explains. The week consists mostly of building days, along with a day off to go to the beach. Amatruda noted that the spring break trip allows their group to work on a house continuously, rather than work one Saturday a month like they do in Rochester.

The work that UR Habitat does is made possible by the fundraising they do on campus. “We do three fundraisers each semester, and our biggest one is Shack-A-Thon,” sophomore and fundraising chair Lesley Mah said. Shack-A-Thon, taking place this year on Thursday, Sept. 26, focuses on promoting homelessness awareness by tasking participants to build a “house” out of cardboard.

According to sophomore co-fundraising chair Shelby Strasser, after paying $20, teams of four to six students “initially get five or six boxes and can get more boxes ($2.50 per additional box), and they sleep in them over night to experience what it’s like to be homeless in Rochester. We encourage them to donate more money because the better the shack, the better chance of getting prizes.” The event also includes lots of food and entertainment.

“We make a really good impact on campus,” Amatruda said. “People definitely come out and check it out and we get lots of donations and teams the day of… [Shack-A-Thon] makes a statement on campus.”

Battle of the Bands is another fundraiser started by UR Habitat last year in which seven student groups perform. Strasser explains that a jar was assigned to each band, and audience members bought tickets to put in their favorite band’s jar. At the end of the competition, the band with the most tickets won. “It’s cool to appreciate the student groups on campus,” Amatruda said. “I think we’ll try to do it again.”

Other fundraisers that Mah and Strasser started last year include the “Sweet Treat” event and the “Finals Baskets” raffle. The gingerbread house fundraiser is one of its most well-attended.

“It’s really a family event,” Strasser said, noting that professors often join their students in the fun.

Habitat also participates in community service events that don’t involve building houses. According to sophomore Nick Poulton, the group volunteers at Habitat Store, where people donate lightly used goods, and those who are in need go and buy these things for cheap. The club also volunteers for Ronald McDonald house, where they cook breakfast for parents whose children are in hospitals. All the money raised in the store goes toward building houses.

This year, UR Habitat is hoping to cosponsor events with other groups on campus. Habitat is supporting Students Helping Honduras’ “Kicks for Kids” soccer tournament as well as the Japanese Students Association Omatsuri Festival.

“We’re being supportive of other groups on campus this year because we get lots of support from them,” Amatruda said.

Habitat is an incredibly hardworking organization and each member is dedicated to better serving the community of Rochester.

Kanakam is a member of the class of 2017.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2014/09/25/habitat-for-humanity-gives-families-new-homes-and-hopes/feed/0UR FOOT: Starting out the year on a high pointhttp://www.campustimes.org/2014/09/11/ur-foot-starting-out-the-year-on-a-high-point/
http://www.campustimes.org/2014/09/11/ur-foot-starting-out-the-year-on-a-high-point/#commentsThu, 11 Sep 2014 04:56:01 +0000Campus Timeshttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=107132

In 2008, a group of UR Outing Club members came up with the idea of doing an orientation trip for freshmen–a few days of outdoor ...]]>

In 2008, a group of UR Outing Club members came up with the idea of doing an orientation trip for freshmen–a few days of outdoor adventure with their new peers before settling into college life. Determined to make their idea a reality, the group became a branch of the Outing Club and eventually evolved into their very own organization–University of Rochester Freshmen Orientation Outing Treks, known by most today as UR FOOT.

While this group may not be the most well-known on campus, it has grown rapidly over the years. This year, the club’s 101 members organized ten trips for 80 freshmen the weekend before orientation. Each trip had special features designed to meet the different interests and ability levels of incoming freshmen, making UR FOOT an option for both those with little outdoor experience and those who enjoy more extreme excursions.

This year’s trips included day treks at Letchworth Sate Park and Stony Brook State Park, hiking at Allegany State Park, canoeing across the Tupper Lake, a rock climbing trip; a caving trip, hiking on the Mount Marcy and Phelps trails, a cycling trip from the University to Letchworth State Park, and, new this year, trips to Whiteface and Dix Range.

According to junior and UR FOOT co-president Gregory Palis, the group plans to add two more trips next year in an effort to meet the increased demand for their program. This year, 144 freshmen applied to take part in UR FOOT but with only 80 spots available, the group unfortunately had to turn down over 60 applicants. By expanding their trip options, the group hopes that this will not be the case next year.

Every spring, the entire club gathers together to plan trips for the freshmen. New leaders apply and are selected, most of whom were participants themselves as freshmen. The new leaders are then trained for basic outdoor skills, preparing them to be ready to lead their trips in the fall.

Freshman Hannah Gallagher went on the caving trip this year at Chimney Mountain. She described the trip as follows.

“We drove four hours to the place and were split into groups. Then we hiked up to a mountain when it rained and it was hard to start a fire.

So we went back down the mountain to eat and then went back up again and camped up there. When we went into the cave, which was an earthquake cave, we had to wear lots of clothes but still felt cold at first. Later, I felt better and warmer. Everyone [had to have headlamps] you could not even see your fingers close to your eyes.”

Palis was one of the leaders on the caving trip that Gallagher participated in this year, and she found his expertise comforting and impressive. Having previously participated in the caving trip, Palis was able to share his knowledge of the terrain with his “trekkies” and act as a well-informed guide throughout the duration of their trip.

Freshman Anna Hrbac was also a member of Palis’ group and added to Gallagher’s comments, noting how thankful she was to go on the trip and how happy she was to have a chance to make friends before the start of freshmen year.

Freshmen Devin Marino and Ted Hancock participated in the Day Treks trip this year, which included a few easy hiking trips in the Letchworth and Stony Brook State Parks and camping in a log cabin.

Hancock explained that, one night of the trip, all the city people were told to lie down in the middle of the field to look at the stars. Most had never seen the sky without the big city lights and were captivated by the beautiful sky. “They laid down for half an hour to just look at the stars,” Hancock said with a smile on his face.

Marino enjoyed making s’mores and telling ghost stories with his group–he found the trip as a whole to be a memorable experience. “It was a great opportunity that I’m glad I [took],” he said. “[UR FOOT] can help make the transition to college a lot easier.”

Hancock agrees with his peer, noting how amazingly accommodating and helpful his leaders were. Describing them as “liaisons to the University,” Hancock found that he learned a great deal about UR during his trip. “It helped me to become ready for the school,” he said.

According to Palis, only the most experienced, capable, and responsible students are selected as UR FOOT leaders. This year’s staff included Sophomore Mariah Heinzerling, Junior Gina DeMeo, and Sophomore Sara Peterson. All three participated in UR FOOT as freshmen and decided to become leaders after having wonderful personal experiences. Heinzerling and DeMeo consider UR FOOT to be a great bonding experience for all those involved. They believe the treks are a wonderful way for students to settle in before going back to campus for the often overwhelming orientation week.

Peterson commented on how becoming a leader changed her perspective on UR FOOT.

“[Now] I really appreciate how much work goes into making the trip as great as possible for the trekkies,” she said. “URFOOT is a wonderful experience and I hope to lead it again next year.”

UR FOOT is not just about brief one-time trips, no matter how enjoyable. The upperclassmen involved in the organization make an effort to keep the links with the freshmen in their group strong for the entire year as they hope to make the youngest members of the “UR Family” feel welcome in their new home.

Liu is a member of

the class of 2016.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2014/09/11/ur-foot-starting-out-the-year-on-a-high-point/feed/0UR Robotics: Developing applicable technologyhttp://www.campustimes.org/2014/04/10/ur-robotics-developing-applicable-technology/
http://www.campustimes.org/2014/04/10/ur-robotics-developing-applicable-technology/#commentsThu, 10 Apr 2014 08:05:55 +0000Alyssa Arrehttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=102702Long after most people have left for the weekend, a handful of students sit bent over keyboards and textbooks in a lab tucked away on ...]]>Long after most people have left for the weekend, a handful of students sit bent over keyboards and textbooks in a lab tucked away on the sixth floor of the Computer Science building. One student by the door types away at a MATLAB document while two others tinker with wires on the opposite side of the room.
A fourth student skims a couple pages of a textbook, “Underwater Robotics.” These students and a few hardworking advisers make up a large part of the UR Robotics Club.
UR Robotics was founded in the fall of 2012 as a group of nine students interested in discussing papers on the topic of robotics. After a few weeks, the students grew restless. “We started thinking ‘why are we sitting here reading when we could be doing this stuff?’” explained sophomore Morgan Sinko. Sinko is the president-elect for the upcoming academic year and has been with Robotics since its inception. He was also part of the team’s first project, Swarm UV.
With this, Sinko picks up the object that he’s been working on from a nearby table. At first glance, it appears he is holding a regular black glove. “This is Haptech,” Sinko says, flipping the glove over.
The glove’s palm is lined with a number of wires. When completed, the responders on the gloves will respond to space within a virtual environment, allowing users to move around and interact with the virtual objects on a screen in a realistic way.
In its current stages, the glove administers vibrations to the user, mimicking the feeling of walking into something. According to Sinko, his team’s intentions are to eventually create a full body suit that responds in this manner. “We still have a ways to go,” Sinko said, removing the glove.
Both Haptech and Swarm UV entered and were accepted into the Cornell Cup presented by Intel, an embedded technology design competition open to all college students. The Cup, receives hundreds of entries every year and is narrowed down to a mere 20-30 selected finalists.
Each group thereafter is awarded funding and equipment to help further develop their entries, and the opportunity to win cash prizes and corporate sponsorship. Swarm UV was accepted last year along with another project called URead Braille. URead Braille has been reentered in this year’s competition along with Haptech.
While Haptech’s current prototype uses an Xbox Kinect to transmit data from the virtual environment to the glove’s responders, this technology would need to be substituted should Sinko and his team want to manufacture and sell the product. However, the use of the Microsoft technology is legal for the purpose of entry into the Cornell Cup. Both the cost and resources needed for developing equivalent technology are not within budget at present.
In fact, expenses are a major problem that UR Robotics deals with – the projects students tackle are not cheap. Some students pay out-of-pocket for parts and materials, while others work to get funding from different academic departments.
“The Computer Science department has been incredibly generous,” Sinko said, “as well as the ECE and MechE departments.” The Computer Science department also donated a room after a graduate lab moved out of the space.
The room the group now occupies nearly doubles the size of the small cramped office they had last year, the first of many small steps Sinko hopes will help improve the club’s presence on campus. Although Robotics is still in its preliminary status for SA recognition, they were allowed to table at the Activities Fair this year. Membership has increased tenfold – 100 students appear on the roster, around 30 of whom are active.
The future leaders of UR Robotics see big things in the group’s future. Sinko dreams of having some sort of Lego Mindstorm intramural competition. Both Sinko and Vice President-elect and sophomore Lucian Copeland hope to add more hands-on workshops to the group’s current offering.
“We’d ideally like to introduce new topics to complement the public Lego Mindstorm events we’ve been having, including Arduino and Rasberry Pi programming, soldering, and logic design,” Copeland said.
The most recent workshop was on 3D printing. Robotics encouraged students to bring their own designs, which they would help fix up for printing. “This is still very new to us – we’re still working the bugs out of it,” Sinko said of his own experience with 3D printing.
As proof, he gestured to a back table in the lab where a bucket of printer rejects sat. Among the discards were a lopsided die and a couple of uneven gears all made of hard red plastic.
Workshops are open to all students, and are typically scheduled for Friday evenings in Rettner Hall.
“We want to clear the stigma that the U of R is just a theory school,” Sinko said. “There are people here who want to do hands-on things.”
Students interested in the UR Robotics Club are welcome to attend weekly meetings, which are held in Room 628 of the Computer Science Building every Friday at 2:30pm.
Arre is a member of the class of 2015.
]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2014/04/10/ur-robotics-developing-applicable-technology/feed/0Students Helping Honduras: Making an impact locally and abroadhttp://www.campustimes.org/2014/03/27/students-helping-honduras-making-an-impact-locally-and-abroad/
http://www.campustimes.org/2014/03/27/students-helping-honduras-making-an-impact-locally-and-abroad/#commentsThu, 27 Mar 2014 06:26:29 +0000JAMIE RUDDhttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=99422I make my way down to the first floor of Wilson Commons with junior Vanessa Cedarbaum. We approach a table where freshman Ellen Kim and ...]]>I make my way down to the first floor of Wilson Commons with junior Vanessa Cedarbaum. We approach a table where freshman Ellen Kim and junior Caroline Cheung sit, selling cupcakes to raise funds for their next service trip.
All three girls – along with 16 other UR students – spent their spring break in the village of Pánchame, Honduras, building a middle school for children who currently only have access to elementary education. They are members of UR’s Students Helping Honduras (SHH), one of the many college and high school chapters of the national non-profit organization founded by then college student Shin Fuliyama in 2007.
Today, these members have agreed to share their experiences in SHH, a new club that’s gained much attention for its unique mission and activities.
After participating in her high school’s chapter of SHH, Cedarbaum founded UR’s program – gaining SA recognition last February – with the help of fellow junior Maria Salas. An international student from Mexico, Salas was also interested in helping the local Hispanic community.
“Our version of SHH is kind of a combination of this normal Students Helping Honduras chapter where we fundraise and we go to Honduras on annual service trips, and also a local component where we do local community service in the Rochester community,” Cedarbaum explains.
SHH members travel to public schools 33 and 12 five times a week to tutor children in bilingual classrooms. These classes combine kids whose first language was English, gaining exposure to Spanish at a young age, with kids whose first language was Spanish and are working on their English skills.
“The classes are taught more in Spanish and their homework is in Spanish but a lot of the kids are primarily English speakers,” Cedarbaum tells me. SHH volunteers primarily help with reading and writing, skills that can be challenging even for kids who grew up as fluent Spanish speakers. While a good portion of SHH members have some background in Spanish, “a lot of members don’t really speak it at all – you don’t need it to tutor with us or go to Honduras,” Cedarbaum assures me.
In addition to tutoring, SHH plans to make their spring break service trips an annual event.Starting last year, members have also traveled to Honduras for a summer leadership summit and additional volunteering. The group fundraises throughout the school year to pay for their SHH trip fees that makes their work possible.
“It’s a $650 fee and $250 of that goes to things for you [food and lodging] and the other $400 is to basically keep SHH running… we can go down and work on a school but we can only do that if there are supplies,” Cedarbaum explains, noting that a large portion of their money goes toward building supplies. “It helps us get there, but then it’s doing good as well.”
To raise money this year, SHH has done a variety of events including a benefit dinner, Pictures with Santa, the “Aca-Olympics”, and of course, cupcake sales. All together, the group has raised approximately $2,200 from fundraisers, receiving an additional $1,500 bonus from the national SHH organization for requiting new members and bus tickets to NYC – where the group caught a direct flight to Honduras – paid for by the University.
Members get a certain amount of their trip fees covered based on their hours. “We keep track of how much time they spend tabling and things like that,” Cedarbaum tells me. “Some of our most active members were getting $400 towards their trip fees.”
While in Honduras, SHH volunteers stay in either SHH lodging or local hotels and spend their days at construction sites building schools from the ground up. “We were working on building classrooms…” Kim explains. “This involved literally moving cinder blocks, making cement with shovels, digging dirt out of certain areas… It’s definitely a lot of work especially in 90 degree weather, but it’s a lot of fun because you get to work with the Honduran workers,”
Cheung, who attended both SHH’s service trip last summer and the recent spring break trip, reflects on her two experiences. “It was the first place that I felt that passion and purpose were put together…. your passion had a purpose and your purpose built more passion,” she recounts. “When I went back two weeks ago, it hit me then that it just gets stronger… I think a lot of times in life you get used to things and they become normal but something like this doesn’t.”
Cheung also noted how impressed she is with the organization’s efficiency. “They have all the logistics down way ahead of time so once [the schools are] up, people are in it and it’s actually being used for its purpose,” she tells me. During the winter trips, the SHH worksites get help from 200-300 volunteers a week, allowing them to build schools very quickly.
Junior member Shanna Cleveland has joined us to weigh in with her views on SHH. “You rarely get to see where your money is going,” she tells me. “We’re sitting here selling cupcakes and it’s hard to visualize – why am I sitting here at this table?” She looks over to where Kim and Cheung sit, gesturing at their table. “We’ve been building a school that cupcakes have funded,” she exclaims. “One cupcake at a time,” she laughs.
“A lot of people just write checks to organizations and they don’t really know where it’s going,” Cleveland continues, explaining how cool it is to be part of club where you get to see where your money is actually going. “It makes us come back and be a lot more excited to sell cupcakes and get all our friends to sell cupcakes and then go back to Honduras again.”
In regards to the club’s future, Cedarbaum hopes for growth. “I just want more people to have that experience and have that opportunity to become so passionate about something,” she tells me. “We already expanded the SHH idea by including tutoring and there are definitely places it can go from there too… any new organization has a lot of freedom, but when you have people that are so excited about it, that’s when things can actually happen.”
For more information on the Students Helping Honduras organization and their story, visit http://ceciskids.org.
Rudd is a member of the class of 2017.
]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2014/03/27/students-helping-honduras-making-an-impact-locally-and-abroad/feed/0UR Alpine Ski Team, bonds on and off the slopeshttp://www.campustimes.org/2014/02/27/ur-alpine-ski-team-bonds-on-and-off-the-slopes/
http://www.campustimes.org/2014/02/27/ur-alpine-ski-team-bonds-on-and-off-the-slopes/#commentsThu, 27 Feb 2014 08:25:58 +0000JAMIE RUDDhttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=96502

I sit at a table in Hirst Lounge with seniors Marlise Combe and Bre Padasak – two accomplished ski ...]]>

I sit at a table in Hirst Lounge with seniors Marlise Combe and Bre Padasak – two accomplished ski racers and the respective president and captain of the UR Alpine Ski Team. As we wait for the “top two guys” to arrive, Combe and Padasak quickly fall into conversation about Combe’s recent boot fitting at a local ski shop.

JP Suits, senior and member of the ski team e-board, soon arrives and joins the girls’ discussion, marveling that Combe’s new boots were “only $50!” But when freshman Greg Shinaman makes his way to our table, their talk dies down as the ski team members turn their attention to sharing the particulars of their little-known club.

“We travel every weekend and compete in races in the New York area,” Combe begins. “We have five regular season races and if we do well enough, we qualify for the regional competition.”

Members of the ski team compete in both slalom and giant-slalom races, swiftly weaving their way around a number of poles known as “gates” as they race down the mountain. Combe and Suits explain that giant slalom is a variation on traditional slalom racing, just longer and with more turns – “it’s faster,” Suits said.

UR’s ski team is a member of the mid-east conference of the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association. They compete against schools like Syracuse University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Cornell University in races mostly held in western New York.

Their season begins immediately after Winter Break and lasts until the third weekend of February. While the season may be short, it’s extremely intense as the team goes non-stop until regionals.

When I ask about a typical race day, Suits simply states “very early,” and his teammates nod in agreement. Depending on the location of the race, the ski team wakes up sometime between 5:30 and 7:30am. “We get to the mountain and have to register, then we all get out on the hill to inspect the course,” Combe describes.

They aren’t allowed to ski the course before the race, but there are no rules against visualizing. Padasak explains that skiing the course in your head can be extremely helpful when it comes to the “tricky portions” – it’s important to be prepared.

“Usually, the night before the race we have a tuning session,” Padasak continues. The ski team members wax their skis according to the consistency of the snow. “Certain waxes are faster on different snows,” Suits explains.

The day consists of two rounds of races. For the second round, the majority of the skiers race in the order they finished that morning. The 15 individuals with the fastest times go first but in reverse order. “They want the fastest person on the hill to not necessarily have the cleanest course,” Suits tells me. At the end of the second round, the top three varsity times are assessed for each team and determine the ranking they will receive.

At the end of the regional competition, the top three teams go on to the national competition. “[Last] year, our team made it,” Padasak tells me, recounting how the five-member varsity girls team got the chance to compete against colleges from across the country.

“This past weekend, I qualified for the national championship,” Combe humbly states, explaining how one individual racer is selected from each conference to go to nationals along with the tree qualifying ski teams from their area. Combe will be skiing the giant slalom at nationals in Lake Placid during spring break.

The ski team hasn’t gotten where they are today without practice. They train Tuesday – Thursday at Bristol Mountain with 10-15 of their members attending each practice. “Bristol supplies us with coaches” Suits tells me. “The coaches set up training courses, we run through them, and they give us input.”

While the four members of the ski team who’ve met with me represent the high end of the team’s ability level, they assure me that the team is made up of a wide range of experience levels and expertise. They currently have around 22 active members (up from eight last year). “This year we actually have a lot of seniors and a lot of freshmen, a couple sophomores and no juniors,” Combe says. “We don’t have a tryout but we do require that you know how to ski.”

They are allowed to take up to 20 members to each race – five varsity girls and five varsity boys along with five JV girls and five JV boys.

While Combe, Suits, and Padasak have been members of the team for four years, Shinaman is just getting started. “I really enjoyed it,” he says of his first year with the team. “This year you guys were great,” he continues, turning to the three seniors sitting across from him. “It worked out really well – hopefully in the future it will be like that too.”

The ski team, which got its start in 1990, gets the majority of its support from parents and alumni. “Most people don’t like to come [to the races] because it means having to wake up at 8:00 in the morning,” Combe admits.

Nevertheless, the team is proud of their self-sufficiency. They hold an annual race at Bristol Mountain and this year hosted 118 people. “The Bristol stuff we run by ourselves,” Padasak tells me. “All the scorekeeping, gatekeeping, registration.” They even hand-made the trophies – Padasak shows me a picture of mason jars filled with candy and topped with silver and gold spray-painted figures.

Before we wrap things up, my interviewees tell me about the laid-back atmosphere of the USCSA competition. “It’s very friendly – we’re really only competitive when we’re racing,” Combe says. “We form bonds with other teams,” Padasak adds, explaining how they see the same teams every other weekend.

As our interview comes to an end, Combe racks her brain for anything else to add. “What else do we do?” she asks her teammates. “Not sleep,” she concludes with a laugh. Without missing a beat, Shinaman declares, “[But] it’s worth it.”

A diabetic friend of mine once said to me: “Diabetes is the most serious disease that’s still acceptable to ...]]>

A diabetic friend of mine once said to me: “Diabetes is the most serious disease that’s still acceptable to joke about.”

Popular belief seems to be that having diabetes isn’t really a big deal compared to bigger name ailments like cancer and AIDS. But in reality, diabetes is a chronic disease affecting millions of people. Diabetics must inject themselves daily with insulin and be able to count carbohydrates accurately.

The disease is more than a minor inconvenience: it requires a lifestyle change for all those afflicted by it.

Sophomore Mary Bucklin knows from experience how serious diabetes is. Her twin sister Hannah has had Type 1 Diabetes since first grade, and the disease has played a prominent role in her life ever since her childhood.

She and her sister used to attend community events and support groups for diabetes, and Mary was surprised when she arrived at Rochester that no such group existed here. Hannah is a student at the University of Pennsylvania, which also had no diabetes network, so the sisters decided to each start a program on their respective campuses.

The club started this semester here at UR is called the College Diabetes Network, and Bucklin believes her efforts so far have been worthwhile. “Through this experience, I have met many great students, URMC, and U of R faculty,” she said. “I also have had the opportunity to speak with student representatives from other schools, which has given me a broader perspective of the types of challenges people with diabetes can face on a normal basis.”

It is not necessary to have diabetes to go to the club’s meetings; in fact, according to Bucklin, most members of the club do not have the disease but instead have a relative or close friend who does.

Community Outreach Coordinator Morgan Kath has a diabetic sister and she frequently attended diabetic research meetings back home. She got involved with CDN as a way to continue her advocacy as she believes the club fills a gap for diabetics on campus who may need a forum to voice their feelings and concerns

“[Diabetes is] a topic which normally doesn’t come up in everyday conversation,” Kath said. “I think some people may feel isolated or like they are the only one affected.” Diabetes is becoming more and more prevalent in the United States, and Kath feels that allowing those who are suffering to connect with each other is a useful tool for sharing resources and raising morale.

Besides connecting students, CDN has also has established strong ties with University Healthy Services and the medical center. Heather Jones is a social worker in the endocrinology department at Strong Memorial Hospital who works closely with Bucklin and the rest of the CDN team. Together, they are trying to begin a support group for medical center patients, bringing volunteers from the River Campus to work with afflicted children and adolescents.

“Support groups for children with diabetes are lacking in our community, which I find very unfortunate because many patients and parents are asking for them,” Jones said. “My vision is to develop a group that allows children to come together, discuss their feelings, show support for each other, enjoy fun activities, and have a good time with other children who can relate to what it’s like to have diabetes.”

Although it’s still in its beginning stages, the Rochester chapter of the CDN has high expectations for itself. It’s goals include creating a supportive environment for diabetic students, making resources for members readily available, establishing a mentoring program for freshmen, and bringing in speakers to talk to students and the surrounding diabetic community.

Plans are in the works for several events, including bringing blood sugar sniffing dogs to campus and hosting a speaker from across Elmwood. CDN places an emphasis on reaching out to those both on and off campus, hoping in the future to host events for pediatric patients at the medical center.

Rochester CDN is a chapter of the College Diabetes Network, a national organization with chapters on over seventy campuses across the country. The club holds their meetings every other Wednesday at 8:30pm in UHS. For more information, e-mail uroch@collegediabetesnetwork.org or visit https://collegediabetesnetwork.org/content/university-rochester. CDN does not currently receive SA funding but is applying for it next semester.

Freedman is a member of the class of 2016.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2014/02/20/college-diabetes-network-students-unite-to-support-local-diabetic-community/feed/0Boxing Club: An alternative method for staying in shapehttp://www.campustimes.org/2014/02/06/boxing-club-an-alternative-method-for-staying-in-shape/
http://www.campustimes.org/2014/02/06/boxing-club-an-alternative-method-for-staying-in-shape/#commentsThu, 06 Feb 2014 08:28:26 +0000Campus Timeshttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=91522Last time you walked into Goergen Athletic Center, you likely found the sporting landscape to be homogenous: unquestionably, basketball rules the courts. Those aspiring to ...]]>Last time you walked into Goergen Athletic Center, you likely found the sporting landscape to be homogenous: unquestionably, basketball rules the courts. Those aspiring to try something new and different will have to search beyond their first glance. This was William Bade two years ago when he wandered into the Boxing Club’s initial meeting.

“I got involved in the boxing club fairly randomly,” says Bade. “I had tried to start a club freshman year and it fell through last minute, but I knew the process.” After attending a general interest meeting, Bade was intrigued by the passion of prospective president Miles Meth and, as a Senator, offered his services to help make the club a reality.

Boxing, rated by ESPN as the most physically demanding sport of all, reached its heyday in the second half of the 20th century. Name-brand professional fighters like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson ruled the headlines and films like “Raging Bull” and the “Rocky” series dramatized the sport and added to its appeal.

Although television ratings indicate the sport is not as popular as it once was, fighters like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have invigorated the fan community. Viewers enjoy the physicality and power that the sport emphasizes.

But for the club at UR, boxing is more about getting in shape and learning technique than knocking out opponents. “Our focus is really to just have fun and give the student body a chance to explore the world of boxing to whatever extent they wish to,” Bade says. “It offers a great workout and really enriches our members with self-confidence.” While the competitive side of boxing is not emphasized, the skills learned could still come in handy for self-defense if the situation should arise.

Now a senior and business manager, Bade speaks about the future of Boxing Club. Despite some recent struggles with administration, members are optimistic that the club is on the rise. They put on their inaugural “fight night” last semester, a showcase of the skills of some of UR’s top boxers. One instantly notable observation is that there is a diverse array of talent. Many members are black belts and have been boxing for four years or more. However, the majority are just getting involved with the sport.

The club would like to provide a more comprehensive scope of workouts, tailored so that each member may find a practice suited to their skill level. Meth and the rest of the club are looking into adding two weekly off-campus workouts, one for beginners and one for advanced members.

Beginners can learn basic technique and receive all the positive effects of vigorous physical activity, while more experienced fighters can practice sparring and learn new moves and tricks. The club is also applying for funding from the school to provide equipment for the athletic center, which would increase the possibilities during practices and overall awareness of the sport on campus.

There are not many activities that reflect the spontaneity of college life better than learning an obscure sport. “It just shows how great this school is that we have the opportunity to enrich the lives of students by exposing them to a… non-‘mainstream’ sport,” Bade says. This community founded around boxing is both physically and mentally enriching.

For the body, it provides an exercise routine described as “incredibly intense,” working out virtually every muscle as well as helping to develop a strong core. Like any well-organized club, it also provides a supportive and positive environment for students, building bonds which can last well beyond graduation.

For me, the most impressive aspect of the club is its continued focus on ideals and self-improvement rather than the angry competition that might be expected from a group practicing such a violent activity.

Boxing Club meets twice a week on campus in the Goergen Athletic Center’s Multi-Activity Center (the “mirror room”) on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30 PM, open to the public (even if you are not part of the club). They also have an off-campus workout every other Saturday for the more serious fighters, where they work with professional trainers from the area.

Freedman is a member of the class of 2016.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2014/02/06/boxing-club-an-alternative-method-for-staying-in-shape/feed/0Food Recovery Network, feeding hungry with university leftovershttp://www.campustimes.org/2014/01/23/food-recovery-network-feeding-hungry-with-university-leftovers/
http://www.campustimes.org/2014/01/23/food-recovery-network-feeding-hungry-with-university-leftovers/#commentsThu, 23 Jan 2014 11:00:22 +0000Campus Timeshttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=89702UR students love to talk about food. When the subject of dining is broached, everyone seems to have an opinion – which dining hall is ...]]>UR students love to talk about food. When the subject of dining is broached, everyone seems to have an opinion – which dining hall is the best, how they hate the lines at Starbucks, and why they love Kosher Corner Brownies. But while students never seem to tire of analyzing their dining options, rarely do you hear a group of undergrads speculating on where all the food goes when their food suppliers shut down for the night. With the establishment of a new club focused on relocating the University’s potentially wasted food to local soup kitchens, however, what happens to all those leftovers might just find its way into dinnertime discussion.

The Food Recovery Network (FRN), a national organization that got its start at the University of Maryland in 2011, works to alleviate hunger and promote sustainability by rescuing food that would otherwise be wasted and donating it to the hungry. Since September of 2011, FRN chapters have been established at over 30 colleges across the country, boasting a cumulative total of 245,284 pounds of food donated, and as of this past semester, University of Rochester is contributing.

Cofounder of UR’s FRN, senior Sara Ribakove, first learned about FRN through social media and knew it was something that she wanted to bring to our campus. Joined by her friend, sophomore Michaela Cronin, Ribakove’s efforts have flourished. The group, which gained preliminary SA recognition last October, has already donated over 400 pounds of food to local Rochester soup kitchen St. Peter’s Kitchen.

“It’s incredible how much we have been able to recover and donate to our local shelter,” Cronin expressed in an interview. Ribakove agrees, noting the hundreds of meals FRN has saved for those facing food insecurity in the local community. So far, FRN has made five donation trips to St. Peter’s, which serves lunch to over 140 Rochester locals every weekday. “We selected this location with help from staff at Foodlink (regional food bank) who recognized their need and our ability to help. They have been extremely thankful and have provided us with many great volunteering opportunities,” Ribakove explained.

FRN has also found support from UR’s dining services who aid in the food recovery process by bagging and freezing leftovers. This makes the food donation process easier for FRN volunteers who weigh and create a log of the food on Wednesday nights before driving it to St. Peter’s on Thursday mornings. Ribakove noted that, when it comes to reducing waste, “U of R does their best not to waste and does compost as much as possible.” However, completely eliminating food waste was infeasible as dining services strives to maintain a consistent variety of options right up until closing – FRN provides a solution.

Thanks to the 1996 Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, universities and other organizations are protected from liability when donating food to non-profit organizations. As university kitchens are required to pass certain standards, non-profit soup kitchens like St. Peter’s are able to accept FRN donations with the assurance that the food has been verified as safe. Best of all, the entire process is virtually free.

FRN, which currently consists of approximately 20 active members, collects food from both Douglass Dining Center and The Commons. The group hopes to expand their collections, however, as soon as they have the means. Ribakove is optimistic, “Our numbers are getting larger naturally because more and more people know about us and we continue to reach out to the campus,” but remains practical about the capabilities of the current group, “We also need time to stabilize before we try and take on more dining halls. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.”

But even with a limited number of volunteers, FRN has quite a bit to be proud of. On top of their food recovery efforts, the group has done work to address hunger in a variety of other ways. These include volunteering at Foodlink and local soup kitchens as well as cosponsoring a holiday food drive. This semester, the group is focusing on their first annual event that, according to Cronin, will “help spread awareness about hunger in our community and how important it is to reduce waste.”

Cronin couldn’t be happier about the success of FRN, “Founding FRN has been a great experience so far. It has gone so fast and we have gotten way more general interest than I think we ever expected. It is so wonderful to see how many other students on campus are interested in reducing food waste.”

Ribakove shares her friend’s enthusiasm, explaining that FRN has been a positive influence in both the community and on campus, “We are helping the campus to be more sustainable while supporting those in need in our community,” she said. “Additionally our members are becoming more educated on the need in our community and have found an outlet in which they can help. We hope to keep doing so for many years!”

Students interested in getting involved with the Food Recovery Network should join the FRN Facebook group or its Campus Club Connection webpage, attend a meeting (every other Monday at 6:00pm in Wilson Commons 122), or email Sara Ribakove at sribakov@u.rochester.edu.

Equality, consciousness, and service. [We] believes in promoting and practicing gender equality. All our members are given an equal opportunity to take on leadership positions, participate, and organize campus-wide programs. We aim to raise individual and campus consciousness regarding historical and current issues of gender equality and women’s rights. We strongly believe in serving both the campus and the Rochester community by spreading our mission of intersectional equality.

Can men join?

Not only do we allow men in our group, we encourage men to join. It is a widespread misconception that men cannot identify as feminists. Men offer opinions and share experiences that are equally valuable as those of women.

What has the caucus done this semester?

Our most significant event this semester has been “Take Back the Night.” On Tuesday, Oct. 29, over 200 students [stood] in solidarity against sexual violence and rape. Local organizations, including the Rape Crisis Services, Rochester Women’s Equality Liberation Defense, and the Center for Youth of Rochester (CFY), brought representatives and provided students with information about their services for victims of sexual assault. Many students joined us on our walk over to Boulder Coffee, where we held a powerful and emotional survivor speak-out.

What would you change at UR in terms of women’s equality?

We would like to see more female-tenured faculty as well as tenured faculty of color. We would also like to see the campus provide equal resources for transgender students, including more gender-neutral bathrooms and health services. We are working to eliminate the stigma and negativity associated with the word “feminist.” At its core, feminism refers to equal rights for all women, and no one should be opposed to that. The more students, staff, and faculty who identify as feminists, the stronger our campus atmosphere will be with regard to racial, gender, and class equality.

What work does the caucus do beyond campus?

We are currently working with CFY to plan a service event for youth to [visit] campus and attend an a cappella concert or sporting event. Several of our members are also interested in becoming active volunteers with the affiliated Crisis Nursery Center.

How does the caucus identify with other minority groups on campus?

We have collaborated with the Black Students Union, Sigma Psi Zeta, and Sahir Bellydance Ensemble for some of our past events. All our groups aim to promote racial, gender, and ethnic equality on campus.

What challenges have you faced?

The biggest problem Women’s Caucus faces is that most students at UR have a misconception of the word “feminist” and are therefore skeptical and often reluctant to attend our events. It’s not until they attend a meeting and learn about our group that they become interested in gender equality.

What events can we look forward to?

In February, we will be sponsoring our annual production of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues.” It is among the 100 things all UR students must do before they graduate, so we want everyone at the show. We will also be bringing a speaker in March for Women’s History Month, although the speaker has not been selected yet.

Where do you see the caucus in five years?

We hope that Women’s Caucus will have grown larger and more influential on campus and in the Rochester community. We hope to see a wider acceptance and embrace of feminism and all that it represents.

Johnson is a member of

the class of 2016.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2013/11/21/empowering-women-at-ur-beyond/feed/0UR’s Mock Trial makes its case on the national stagehttp://www.campustimes.org/2013/11/14/urs-mock-trial-makes-its-case-on-the-national-stage/
http://www.campustimes.org/2013/11/14/urs-mock-trial-makes-its-case-on-the-national-stage/#commentsThu, 14 Nov 2013 10:17:36 +0000Doug Bradyhttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=86232Mock Trial president and senior Shalin Nohria talked about hosting the YellowJacket Invitational, placing fifth at a competition at the University of Pennsylvania last weekend, ...]]>Mock Trial president and senior Shalin Nohria talked about hosting the YellowJacket Invitational, placing fifth at a competition at the University of Pennsylvania last weekend, and his plans for the next five years.

CT: What is Mock Trial?

N: The goal of Mock Trial is to foster an introductory education of trial techniques and strategies. Mock Trial provides an opportunity for students to gain experience in a legal setting through the enactment of a trial, usually based on a real-life case, which students get to argue before a legal professional. If you need a visual, picture a mixture of “Suits,” “The Good Wife,” and “Gladiator.”

CT: What do you guys do?

N: First, we help our members develop their analytical, persuasive, and organizational skills. Second, we destroy any team unfortunate enough to be paired against us in a competition.

CT: Do you have to be a communications major to join?

N: Absolutely not. I’m actually a pre-med student, and we have members with majors ranging from history to chemical engineering. Mock Trial has such a wide variety of cases and develops so many professional skills that really anyone whose job involves speaking should consider joining.

CT: How do competitions work?

N: Each year we receive a case that typically ranges from about 150 to 200 pages. This case includes affidavits for a variety of witnesses, different evidential exhibits, scientific publications, résumés for the experts, and sometimes even audio files of the crime itself. We go through each piece of evidence carefully as a team and then split off into pairs where an attorney will direct a specific witness who helps their side of the case and then cross an opposing sides witness to damage their credibility.
US is ranked among the top 50 mock trial teams in the country, and as such, we do receive invitations to the top competitions. Every year, we compete at UPenn, Columbia University, Yale University, Cornell University, with our actual elimination invitationals starting in the spring at Buffalo State College.

CT: How have you fared in the past?

N: Every year, our team has gotten stronger. We typically send one team to Opening Round Championship Series, which is a significant achievement in and of itself.
Last year, our organization sent two teams to ORCS for the first time in UR history. During my sophomore year, our team qualified for the nationals bracket, which includes only the top 50 teams from over 500 mock trial teams around the country.

CT: Mock Trial hosted the YellowJacket Invitational from Nov. 2-3. How did it go?

N: Our fourth-annual YellowJacket Invitational brought in 14 teams from around the country, including many that were nationally ranked. Additionally, we secured rooms in LeChase Hall and the Welles-Brown Room to showcase our beautiful campus. We even received help from over 30 prestigious legal professionals like Joanne Winslow, a Monroe County Supreme Court judge. Special thanks must be given to the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office, Nixon Peabody, and our alumni for supporting us so much.

CT: What’s up next?

N: We just competed at Columbia, where our team ranked sixth out of 22 teams. Our next competition will be this weekend at UPenn, where our new members will join our old to ensure the continuity of our group. Part of our team will also travel to Yale to compete at an invitational on Saturday, Dec. 7.

CT: Where would you like to see Mock Trial in five years?

N: I see us winning the national championship for the fifth year in a row.

CT: What is the craziest thing that has happened at a tournament?

N: I’m afraid I’m going to have to take the Fifth. What happens at mock trial tournaments stays at mock trial tournaments.

Brady is a member of the class of 2015.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2013/11/14/urs-mock-trial-makes-its-case-on-the-national-stage/feed/0Engineers Without Borders builds locally, abroadhttp://www.campustimes.org/2013/11/13/engineers-without-borders-builds-locally-abroad/
http://www.campustimes.org/2013/11/13/engineers-without-borders-builds-locally-abroad/#commentsThu, 14 Nov 2013 00:53:09 +0000Doug Bradyhttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=85722I had the chance to sit down with President of Engineers Without Borders and junior Kevin Fogarty to discuss the club and what it type ...]]>I had the chance to sit down with President of Engineers Without Borders and junior Kevin Fogarty to discuss the club and what it type of work they do on campus and abroad.

In short, what is Engineers Without Borders?

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) partners with communities within developing countries in order to improve their quality of life through engineering projects. This club follows the project from application to final implementation, including assessment of the region and sustainable design work for the communities needs.

What are your club’s primary objectives?

We aim to provide an environment where students can apply their education to real-world problems in an internationally responsible and globally beneficial way. In other words, we hope that members can apply what they learn in the classroom, learn from our professional mentors, and make a difference in a community that needs help.

Do you have to be an Engineer to join?

Not at all. While the actual design of the project may be easier and more interesting to an engineer, one main goal of EWB is to make projects sustainable for the region we are building it in and fulfill their wishes as realistically as possible. The project also doesn’t pay for itself and the whole cost can’t be put on the community itself. Any major can find a fit in EWB and be extremely useful to the team.

What sort of projects are EWB involved in?

In celebration of the second Hunger Games movie, Engineers Without Borders is having our 1st annual UR Hunger Games.The event will be on Nov. 15-16, each day teams of four or five will face of in a challenge of physical or mental ability. At the end of each challenge, weaker teams will be eliminated. And the victors will be rewarded with fame, glory and prizes.

The cost is $25 for a team of four or five, but if you think you have what it takes to win with a lesser number of teammates it is $7 per player.

All proceeds go directly to EWB’s upcoming water project.Any questions can be sent to Odelia Ryan.

What are some programs that EWB has put on in the past year?

While applying for projects abroad, EWB has held many global themed fundraisers and events. Last fall we brought in Carl Wilkens, the only American that chose to stay in Rwanda during the genocide in 1994, to talk about his experiences during that time and about his organization World Outside My Shoes. We also hold two annual fundraisers, the Fly to South America fundraiser and Water Week. Fly to South America has been a raffle-like race where the winner is picked randomly from the class year that has the most money donated. Water Week is a week that we put on to raise awareness concerning access to clean water. It is a massive problem globally, and developed countries can easily make a difference with technology already available to us.

Does EWB do development work abroad?

Yes. The primary goal of EWB is to complete projects in developing countries. We obtained a project in Kenya to build access to clean water year round to a village of over 1,000 people. Unfortunately, due to Kenya’s recent turmoil and travel restrictions, we were forced to cancel the project. Our mentor has years of experience with water systems and water filtration abroad, so currently we are applying to projects in the Dominican Republic, The Gambia, and Cameroon, all of which have problems with access to clean water.

How did you get involved with the club?

Freshman year I saw EWB at the club fair and I thought making an impact in a developing nation using the skills I planned on learning through school would be amazing. Once I started attending meetings I saw the leadership opportunities and relatively new status of the club as a chance to expand my participation. EWB is a great group of people and everyone has a shot at leadership positions. There are so many great benefits to joining EWB, such as expanding your education within college and networking with professionals and students with the same interests as you.

Where would you like to see the club in five years?

All of my goals for this year revolve around getting projects going and making EWB one of the most popular clubs on campus. In five years, I would love to see a couple completed projects being regularly checked on to make sure the community is able to sustain them. Some of the bigger chapters actually have the resources to take on multiple projects at a time, which would be amazing to see in five years from now. I know global service and engineering are huge here at UR, so these goals are all realistic once the group catches on.

I had the chance to chat with the co-directors of UR Concerts, KEY Scholar Devin Embil and senior Jennifer Yeh, to get a better sense ...]]>

I had the chance to chat with the co-directors of UR Concerts, KEY Scholar Devin Embil and senior Jennifer Yeh, to get a better sense of what the student organization is all about. Responsible for putting on some of the biggest shows on campus, UR Concerts continues to set the bar for entertainment on campus.

How does UR Concerts decide which artists to invite?

Embil: We use concertideas.com to compile a list of artists that fit our price range. We try to pick from a variety of genres that we later put in a survey that is sent to the student body via Facebook and tabling. We use the results to gauge student opinion on which music acts they would want to see on campus.

Who ultimately makes the decision?

Yeh: Based on monetary restrictions and date availability, Devin, our club advisor, Alicia Lewis, and I make the final decision about who comes to perform.

How do you contact artists?

Embil: We work with a booking agent at Concert Ideas who gets us in contact with the bands we are interested in.

Who negotiates with the artists?

Yeh: Same answer as the previous question. Our booking agent will negotiate the best price with the bands, but we review and negotiate the contract particulars.

How do you deal with scheduled artists cancelling?

Yeh: The best we can. When OAR cancelled three days before Dandelion Day 2012 we had to find a replacement fast. We worked closely with our agent to find bands travelling through the area that could possibly do a show.

How did UR Concerts originate?

Embil: A bunch of students in the 1980s saw the need for concert programming on campus and formed the group. Jennifer and I met the founders last year during Meliora Weekend when they came to a UR Concerts reunion. It was fun to hear the stories, similarities, and differences of today’s shows.

How did you get involved?

Embil: I joined as a freshman. I used to do some concert programming in high school, and my mom was involved with her concerts team when she was in college.

Yeh: I joined my sophomore year at the activities fair and became Coffeehouse Chair.

What is your favorite part of UR Concerts?

Embil: Seeing a successful show run smoothly and having positive feedback from students and the UR community.

What are the group’s future plans?

Yeh: We’re slowly looking into possible bands for the spring concert and D-Day concert. In addition to our larger shows, we put on weekly acoustic concerts featuring student musicians every Friday in Starbucks with the coffeehouse series. We also put on monthly shows with student bands at the Drama House called ROC Thursdays.

How can students get involved?

Anyone who is interested can come to our meetings at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays in the Ruth Merrill Center.

Shinseki is a member of

the class of 2015.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2013/10/24/ur-concerts-brings-big-name-artists-to-campus/feed/0Urban explorers catch glimpse of Rochester’s pasthttp://www.campustimes.org/2013/10/17/urban-explorers-catch-glimpse-of-rochesters-past/
http://www.campustimes.org/2013/10/17/urban-explorers-catch-glimpse-of-rochesters-past/#commentsThu, 17 Oct 2013 10:16:46 +0000Alyssa Arrehttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=81532Wedged between Orchard and Lyell Avenues, just northwest of downtown Rochester, are the remnants of a once thriving industrial park. A chain-link fence encloses the ...]]>Wedged between Orchard and Lyell Avenues, just northwest of downtown Rochester, are the remnants of a once thriving industrial park. A chain-link fence encloses the property as if to contain the gloom within. Amid the ruins, a dozen or so students have gathered around a hole in the wall of a crumbling brick building. As they clamber inside, a voice resounds from the darkness: “Watch your step! Avoid places where plants are growing! Stay out of the elevators!” It belongs to senior Inga Koch, who is guiding the trip, courtesy of UR’s Urban Exploring club.

Urban exploring, or urbex for short, is the exploration of abandoned man-made structures. They vary in size and function and can include warehouses, offices, hospitals, and private residential homes.

UR students founded the club in 2006, but urbex as an activity has a much wider historic context. Considered the father of urbex, Philibert Aspairt ventured into the underground quarries of Paris in 1793. His body was found 11 years later. Today, urban explorers travel all over the world to study a range of structures. Interest in the activity has exploded over the last decade due to increased media coverage.

For junior and club president Jeremy Warner, it was curiosity that led him to join his freshman year.

“I wanted to try something new when I came to college,” Warner said, explaining that his electrical and computer engineering major piqued his interest about this particular trip.

That’s because at one time, these walls were home to Sykes Datatronics, a computer manufacturer that filed for bankruptcy in the late ’80s. By 1992, the building had fallen into complete disuse. Fire has since consumed much of what remained of the interior, leaving only heaps of charred paper and twisted metal. Exposure to the elements has warped the floorboards, stretching across the floor like waves.

Finan, who has been a member of Urban Exploring since its inception, has explored almost 200 sites. Stepping over several fallen girders, Finan helps Koch lead the group into the basement. Broken CRT monitors and modems line the walls collecting dust. Nearby is a disemboweled file cabinet.

“Look what I found,” Warner says, holding up an antiquated RAM chip. “It’s like a technological trophy.”

According to Warner, there is an unspoken rule among urban explorers: If there is one of something, don’t take it.

“You’re not going to these places to destroy them,” he said. “You’re going to evaluate them.”

Most noticeable is the utter emptiness. The upper levels are mostly bare, albeit some insulation that has been pulled from the walls and shards of glass strewn across the floor. And — a spot of green.

“We either see stuff that nature has touched or stuff humans have touched, but urbex is a unique niche,” Warner said. “Humans have abandoned, and now nature is taking over.”

The fourth floor is a seemingly perfect example. Covering the floorboards and drywall is a thick carpet of bright green moss and thousands of tiny, brown mushrooms. An outside breeze enters this mini ecosystem, gently carrying with it a few pine seedlings. Somewhere outside, a dog barks over the hum of traffic. In a way, the atmosphere is peaceful, meditative even.

“Those who explore regularly know that it creates a whole new awareness of the environment around us,” Finan said. “The societal norm of ‘don’t go there’ is reversed to ‘come right in.’ Forbidden places are opened, and it’s a way to connect with the city itself, apart from its people, and experience it on another level.”

Interestingly, what draws some to urbex chases others away. To some, it seems too dangerou or criminal. Warner attributes this and the fact that trips can sometimes be time-consuming to the group’s modest membership. Still, he maintains that his experience with the club has been a worthwhile one.

Only this past year, Warner helped reinstate a Wilson Day tradition — the Goose Hunt. With a handful of UR Foot members, he organized a scavenger hunt that sent freshmen across Rochester to experience the city firsthand. Events like this and simple word of mouth go a long way in boosting membership, Warner said. In fact, both Finan and junior Johnson Truong discovered Urban Exploring this way.

According to Truong, he received an invitation from Warner and agreed to go as “a way to hang out with friends.”

Members of UR’s Urban Exploring club encourage anyone, experienced or not, to come out for a trip. The activity is certainly one that provides a sense of both aesthetic and historic gratification. It’s not just about finding beauty in these old buildings, it’s also about taking part of something that once was.

“Maybe the first few times seemed gross or scary, but you get over that part pretty fast,” Finan said. “The more of it you do, you start to find it to be inspiring.”

Arre is a member of the class of 2015.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2013/10/17/urban-explorers-catch-glimpse-of-rochesters-past/feed/0Running Clubhttp://www.campustimes.org/2013/10/03/running-club/
http://www.campustimes.org/2013/10/03/running-club/#commentsThu, 03 Oct 2013 09:59:13 +0000Doug Bradyhttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=79212Emerging from near extinction, Running Club has since roared back. I sat down with Running Club president and sophomore Brendan Coli to learn more.
Q: What ...]]>Emerging from near extinction, Running Club has since roared back. I sat down with Running Club president and sophomore Brendan Coli to learn more.Q: What is Running Club?
A: Running club is a diverse, close-knit group of people united by a common love of running. Our members range from former cross-country and track runners looking for a less competitive alternative to beginners just entering the world of running.Q: When was the group founded, and how has it grown since?
A: The group was founded in 2010. I became president last semester when we had hardly any active members and the club wasn’t really functioning. So far this year, we’ve grown enormously, thanks in part to an enthusiastic and dedicated group of freshmen present at every group run.Q: How did you get involved?
A: I started running with the club last fall but was disappointed at the decline in participation after the first few weeks. I was offered the position of president by a friend in the club who no longer wanted the responsibility and jumped at the chance to grow a club struggling to survive.Q: Do you need prior experience to join?
A: No prior experience is required. We modify the pace of all of our runs to accommodate the skill level of those who participate. However, those running should be at a certain level of fitness and ought to be able to run three miles comfortably at a nine-minute-per-mile pace.Q: What are some events you have participated in?
A: Apart from our group runs, we do not participate in many events as a club. We did, however, organize a run to the Westside Farmer’s Market as part of UR Healthy. We also participated in Kappa Delta’s annual Shamrock 5K, taking third, fourth, seventh, and 10th place.Q: What are some upcoming events?
A: We hold group runs every Monday through Friday at 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., meeting in front of Goergen Athletic Center.
This Saturday, Oct. 5, at 1 p.m., we will be hosting our first race on campus against RIT. The race will start in Genesee Valley Park and will continue alongside the river to campus. All donations will go toward multiple sclerosis research. The race is open to all UR students.Q: What goals do you have for the club?
A: One of my main goals is to encourage more people to participate in the runs and grow our base of regular members. Though the club has grown significantly since last semester, it’s challenging to maintain a cohesive group when drawing from members with such varying commitment and skill levels. I’d also like to acquire more funding to subsidize registration fees as well as host some larger races on campus more comparable to the Shamrock 5K and Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Nick Tahou’s Run.Brady is a member ofthe class of 2015.
]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2013/10/03/running-club/feed/0Meliora Capital Management teaches investment principleshttp://www.campustimes.org/2013/09/19/meliora-capital-management-teaches-investment-principles/
http://www.campustimes.org/2013/09/19/meliora-capital-management-teaches-investment-principles/#commentsFri, 20 Sep 2013 03:13:37 +0000Doug Bradyhttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=76882I sat down with one of the managing directors of Meliora Capital Management, LCC, junior Harris Weber, to get a better sense of what the ...]]>I sat down with one of the managing directors of Meliora Capital Management, LCC, junior Harris Weber, to get a better sense of what the student organization is all about. Financially sound once again, it is open for business and expanding rapidly.In short, what is Meliora Capital Management?
Meliora Capital Management, LLC is a registered New York State limited liability company and student investment club in Rochester. Our goal is to give all students with an interest in business and finance the opportunity to build and share their knowledge through real world investing. We also provide valuable advice and networking opportunities for students interested in pursuing financial internships and careers.How did you get involved with the club?
Despite being a biology major, I have always had an interest in investing and the financial markets, so I made an effort to reach out to the club during my freshman orientation. I was heavily involved in my high school’s investment club, so the transition was pretty natural.Do you invest real money? Where does it come from?
Yes, we do. Each member of the club invests $500 of his or her own money with the company in order to receive one ownership unit of the LLC.How do you decide how the money is spent?
After individual and group research presentations on various securities and investment strategies, the group votes on an action to be taken. Every member has an equal say in the vote.Do you get to keep returns on your investments?
When a member chooses to exit the company, they receive their initial $500 investment back plus or minus any gains or losses to the company since they entered. So like any other investment, you can actually make or lose money.How do club members educate themselves on the stock market?
At our meetings, we, the Managing Directors, provide insight on the market landscape and some tools members can use to analyze various equities. In addition, members split into smaller analyst groups based on their sector of interest (i.e health care, energy, etc.) and work with each other to find investment opportunities.Do you need to be an Economics or Business major to join?
Nope, I’m not, and I’m a Managing Director. You just need a passion for learning how to invest money.What has happened in the past five years? More specifically, what happened with your tax status? How was it resolved?
As I understand it, in our first year of operation, taxes were not properly filed. Last year, the IRS penalized us and our accounts were frozen, so we could not trade. However, we were able to have the charges ablated since we are in nature an educational organization. Forming a closer relationship with the school’s administration and our advisor was extremely helpful in achieving this resolution.
Besides that hiccup, the fund has been extremely successful in its first five years, consistently beating the S&P 500.What are some programs that “MelCap” has recently organized?
Last semester, we brought in alumni David Swidler who works at the Hedge Fund Perry Capital, to speak with the company. Mr. Swidler lectured on how a hedge fund operates and his interpretation of the most recent market happenings.Where does Meliora Capital Management see itself in five years?
We see Meliora Capital Management becoming a necessary means to jump-start a student’s career in finance. In five years, a member of Meliora Capital Management will have the financial skills and knowledge that rival that of any student from another top-tier school. They will have met numerous alumni in the industry, many of whom are also Meliora Capital Management former members, who will understand the extent of their engagement with the company.
We also believe that the amount of non-business major students involved in the company will increase, and we will subsequently be able to capitalize on the diversity of our members.Brady is a member ofthe class of 2015.
]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2013/09/19/meliora-capital-management-teaches-investment-principles/feed/0Japanese Students’ Association receives official statushttp://www.campustimes.org/2013/04/25/japanese-students-association-receives-official-status/
http://www.campustimes.org/2013/04/25/japanese-students-association-receives-official-status/#commentsThu, 25 Apr 2013 11:28:31 +0000Campus Timeshttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=72342

Courtesy of Thanh Ngo

The Japanese aspects of culture that we commonly know today — kimonos, sushi, and origami — are all part of a multi-layered, complex culture that has established itself over the past millennia. Starting this spring semester, UR students can embrace the richness of Japan firsthand as one of UR’s newest clubs brings a taste of the country to campus.
UR’s Japanese Students’ Association (JSA) recently met with the Students’ Association (SA) Senate earlier this month to sign an official constitution, where it formally received final recognition from SA.
“JSA is now eligible for funding from the Students’ Association Appropriations Committee starting next semester,” JSA co-president and freshman George Iwaoka said.
Iwaoka and two others students, sophomore Koji Muto and freshman Mikako Harata, currently hold positions as JSA co-presidents.
The trio collaborated after mutual dissatisfaction over the lack of community between Japanese students and the rest of the UR community.
“Our first question when we came to this school was ‘why wasn’t there already a Japanese-affiliated student club?’” Muto said. “Despite the popularity of Japanese culture that has permeated throughout the US, there was no such thing as JSA. We felt the interest was there, and all we needed to show was some initiative.”
Five years before JSA’s time, a former alumnus had created and led a club called Japan Matsuri, a student group dedicated to spreading awareness regarding Japan. Over time, however, the number of club members diminished until, eventually, the club itself faded into UR’s history.
JSA’s dedication and persistence throughout the entire process of SA recognition shows how much potential this club holds. The paperwork initially started in October 2012, and JSA eventually reached official club status five months later in April.
“UR has multiple steps for any potential club to become SA recognized,” Iwaoka said. “SA wants to really make sure the club is dedicated and the members involved are also dedicated.”
After the first set of paperwork in the fall semester, the co-presidents worked with their cultural club adviser Lydia Crews as they entered preliminary status, a trial period set up by SA to determine a club’s aptitude on campus. JSA was required to hold a general interest meeting, recruit and compile a list of members, and hold events promoting the club.
By drawing curious and hungry students, JSA secured a solid list of members at their general interest meeting where forty “Cup Noodles” were offered. JSA continued its presence on campus through a very successful cultural exhibition called Japanese Expo this past month. Co-sponsored with the Sigma Psi Zeta sorority and the Pi Delta Psi fraternity, the Expo gave students the opportunity to sample sushi, play matsuri games, and learn the art of traditional tea tasting. In addition, students were offered brushes to practice calligraphy and inflatable sumo suits to wrestle friends. Seeing a turnout of over 300, JSA successfully got their name out to campus.
“I was amazed so many people came out that day, especially since we’re a new group,” JSA publicity chair and freshman Yunshan Yang said.
While JSA continues to establish its presence throughout UR, its members grow excited for what the future holds. Coming from different backgrounds, yet sharing a passion for diversity, JSA’s members show genuine interest in Japan and its heritage, which is exactly what a cultural club needs.
“As a Chinese person, I find Japanese culture attracting,” Yang explained. “It’s similar to Chinese culture but they also have so many differences. Sometimes it can confuse me more than American culture. To learn more about Japan, I joined JSA.”
Enthusiasm, cultural curiosity, and diligence are what drive a club to success, and in only a semester, JSA has proved to be more than a club offering yummy food and origami lessons. By promoting themselves through social media, co-sponsored events, and word of mouth, JSA strives to continue flourishing in the coming years.
JSA secretary and freshman Mana Takeyama attributes JSA’s uphill success to the close-knit group of people willing to make JSA prosper.
“I believe our closeness and true love for Japan will ultimately bring us success in spreading its beautiful culture and traditions,” she said.

Yoon is a member ofthe class of 2016.

]]>http://www.campustimes.org/2013/04/25/japanese-students-association-receives-official-status/feed/0Equestrian Club trots its way into lives of UR studentshttp://www.campustimes.org/2013/04/11/equestrian-club-trots-its-way-into-lives-of-ur-students/
http://www.campustimes.org/2013/04/11/equestrian-club-trots-its-way-into-lives-of-ur-students/#commentsThu, 11 Apr 2013 10:12:08 +0000Matt Lernerhttp://www.campustimes.org/?p=68912Some athletes kick a ball up and down a field; some dive into a pool and swim laps against components; others, such as those in the UR Equestrian Club, ride horses, competing against other colleges and universities to demonstrate a variety of skills before judges.

Founded on the principle of providing UR students with the opportunity to participate in horseback lessons, the Equestrian Club has evolved today into a group of over 30 members who share a passion for horseback riding.

Each week, the club travels about 25 minutes to Way Farm where students of different levels of experience take riding lessons. In each one-hour group lesson, anywhere between four and five students practice among students of different skill levels.

While there are some students who have never rode horses, there are others who work to train for Intercollegiate Horse Show Association competitions against other colleges in the area.
To ride with the team, students pay a fee of $170 to cover expenses for the semester. Like the weekly lessons, anyone is eligible to compete against other schools, aiming to gain enough points to qualify for both regional and national competitions.

“It’s called ‘pointing out,” Equestrian club member and freshman Jen Selland said. “If you point out [over the course of the year], you qualify for regionals, and if you continue to perform well, you can eventually qualify for nationals.”

UR Equestrian has been steadily improving.

“Each year we get closer to first in the region. This past year, [freshman] Olivia Quatela, [sophomore] Lillye Anderson, and I qualified and competed at regionals,” president of the Equestrian Club and sophomore Bonnie Ball said. “This was a great accomplishment for the team and for us all individually.”

For Ball, riding has always been a part of her life. Having been horseback riding since age four, Ball gets a “home away from home experience [through the club]. The barn is somewhere where I grew up, so it’s nice to continue to ride each week and also advance my riding skills.”

Despite Ball’s extensive experience riding and competing, many join the club to experience something they have never done before.

“For participation in the club, we have had an overwhelming response of people who would like to be members. Currently, we have 39 members taking lessons once a week. Out of that, approximately eight of those members are a part of the show team,” Ball said.

As evidenced by the large amount of club members not competing at the intercollegiate level, there are an overwhelming amount of members who attend lessons because they simply enjoy horseback riding.

In the mayhem of each busy week at UR, the Equestrian Club is an outlet for many to enjoy either a favored pastime or to explore something they have not before.

As Ball claims, “I am able to get an hour work-out and I also am able to forget all the stresses of school,” she said.